Veggie Chickpea Pancakes with Sriracha Crema
This recipe was born from a classic: Ina Garten’s zucchini pancakes from her 2006 Barefoot Contessa At Home cookbook. Over time, I’ve transformed the recipe into a heartier, more veggied-out version that is the perfect vegetarian main dish. The Sriracha Crema sends these pancakes over the top—it’s sweet and tangy with a hint of a kick. So, so delicious!
- 1 medium zucchini, grated
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 1 small russet potato, grated
- 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 medium red onion
- 1 15- oz. can chickpeas, rinsed
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
- 1/4 c. plain Greek yogurt (0% fat or full-fat, your choice)
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp. mild Dijon or Düsseldorf mustard
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1.5 tsp. Sriracha (or to taste)
- pinch of kosher salt
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You don't need a food processor for this recipe, but if you have one, use it. It will make this step and step three a breeze! First, grate the zucchini, carrot, and potato using your food processor's grating disc (or a traditional box grater). Then, mix the shreds with 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt and spread them in an even layer across a couple sheets of clean paper towel to soak-up excess moisture. Let stand for 10-15 minutes or until you are ready to use them. You could also press a couple sheets of paper towel on the top of the shredded vegetables to speed the drying process.
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Combine all of the Sriracha Crema ingredients in a small bowl and set aside or refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Switch the blade in your food processor to the standard s-shaped blade. Add the red onion and pulse into small bits. Add the chickpeas and pulse until blended with the onion. Lastly, add the eggs and whir into a creamy hummus-like paste. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the flour, baking powder, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the salted grated veg (rid of moisture) and stir to combine.
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Melt 1 tbsp. unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat and drop heaping spoonfuls of pancake batter into 3-4 rounds across the pan, each round should be about 4-inches in diameter. Cook the pancakes about 2-3 minutes on each side until browned and then transfer to a cookie sheet to firm up and stay warm in a pre-heated 300° oven. Repeat until all of the pancake batter is cooked. Add more butter to the pan as needed.
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The beauty of these pancakes is that they're actually better after a little time in the oven—up to 30 minutes. If you're cooking for 4-6 people (1x the recipe), then your active cook time flipping pancakes will take about 15 minutes. Let the last pancake that you make rest in the oven for at least 15 minutes. Use this time to put the Sriracha Crema in a small serving bowl and gather the troops to the table! See TIP A for additional serving ideas.
TIP A: I recently made these for a crowd and served them family-style with a couple of sauce topper options: the Sriracha Crema (my personal favorite), tzatziki, and you could also add some plain-old sour cream or crème fraîche to the mix. People loved the excuse to eat more than one!